dove science academy

[teacher girl]

what are your thoughts on this school? my son got an information packet on their new elementary school that will open in august.

he is in another okc arts specialty school right now, which I love, but I am always open to new ideas!!

thanks a lot

[bandnerd]

It's a pretty good school, very high API scores. It just depends on what exactly your son wants to focus on...arts, science, overall college-prep, or whatever.

My advice is to simply ask for a tour of the school, or to see if you can sit in on a class. We do this kind of thing all the time at my charter school...in fact, we welcome it! Word of mouth is the best advertisement when it comes to schools

That said, we stomp them every year at basketball haha. But, if your child isn't planning on being an NBA star, then that doesn't really matter. Just had to get that in there.

[teacher girl]

ha ha bandnerd. no my son will not be a nba star (at almost age 6, he still wears 3T) he takes after his momma!! I don't think the elementary has classes yet, so I can't sit in on them, but I did read their api scores were crazy high!

I am looking for something for my child to learn all he can (like I said, he is almost 6 and is totally into multiplication and division and reads at a ridiculous level), but again, being a parent is hard

thanks for yoru suggestions!are you at a okc charter school?

[bandnerd]

Yes, I work at Harding Charter Preparatory H.S.--a college-prep, Advanced Placement-based school.

I, however, teach electives classes there We do have a full fine and performing arts program as well as almost any team sport you can think of, including archery (new). We also have a fine array of phys ed classes, including a bootcamp-style class that the kids adore.

I have an idea where your kiddo might be, if you say he's at an arts-focused elementary school, and if I'm right, it's a good school, and a lot of those kids go to Classen SAS. While I don't personally recommend Classen (mostly for personal reasons) some kids really like it there.

Here is a link to Dove Science Academy:
Dove Science Academy - OKC

I was just looking at their brochure and the photo of their girl's basketball team is from one of the games we played against them. Small world :P

It looks to be a very diverse school, which frankly, I enjoy as a teacher. If their school is anything like ours, the diversity is embraced and the kids don't even see race or culture.

I'm rambling now. I don't have a kid, so it is hard for me to talk on the subject of where they would go...though I know what we would do, IF we ever create any spawn.

Good luck!

[teacher girl]

yes, you probably know where he is at, it's not that far from you actually!! and like I said I LOVE LOVE LOVE that school (even though with my fall out as a teacher with OKC last year, I am not pleased with dist) BUT my kid is happy, so I am happy. we got their brochure in the mail, I just figured they mailed a packet to most kids in that "area" that could feesiby attend dove.

so is harding part of okc schools? or just a seperate "being"?

website looks really neat!!

thanks for sharing what you do know

[okclee]

What do either of you (bandnerd or teacher girl or anyone) know about Gatewood elementary??

It is possible that my child will attend Gatewood, but I haven't done research on the school.

[teacher girl]

haven't heard a word about it, sorry that I can't help!!

[bandnerd]

Don't know anything about it, okclee. Since my school doesn't technically have "feeder" schools like regular high schools, and since I'm at a high school and not a middle, I really don't know much about it.

Most of the elementary schools in OKC seem all right, at least those in my area. It's when the kids move up to middle and high school that makes me nervous. It's like there is a step that is being missed in there somewhere.

Teachergirl--We area separate entity in that we are a charter school...we have our own governance board, we follow our own set of rules, and are bound by the mission in our charter. However, OKCPS has the final say in whether or not our charter gets renewed every three years. OKCPS isn't a huge fan of charters, because we "steal" the good kids away from their system, but it's more about the money OKCPS feels it is entitled to, since those kids are in their district. However, the money travels with the student, but we give part of the money back to OKCPS and keep a portion for ourselves.

We operate largely on grants and the generous donations of corporations and citizens in the community. We recently received a large sum of money from Chesapeake. We partner with them often. I have received 2 grants for my programs, one for music and one for journalism.

So, in conclusion, we are separate but attached :P Yeah, it makes SO much sense, I know. I like working in my school because I have more say about where my programs are going, in a metaphorical sense. I do not have to answer to anyone but my immediate administration within my own building, and there are far fewer hoops for the teachers to jump through, leaving us with more time and room to teach. However, it can be scary because there is no tenure, and there is always a money crunch, so you always just cross your fingers this time of year and hope you get asked back!

ETA: We require an application process for all incoming students; however, the student does not need to meet any academic requirements to get in. We take students from all over the metro, from different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. The main reason kids come to our school is to get an education they might miss out on if they were in an OKC public school, or they are simply looking for a smaller school to attend.

[Jacob_Daddy]

Originally Posted by okclee

What do either of you (bandnerd or teacher girl or anyone) know about Gatewood elementary??

It is possible that my child will attend Gatewood, but I haven't done research on the school.

As a former employee of OKCPS I can tell you that Gatewood is ranked as the second highest school in OKC. Nichols Hills Elementary is first, then Gatewood Elem, then Sequoyah Elem.

[okclee]

Originally Posted by Jacob_Daddy

As a former employee of OKCPS I can tell you that Gatewood is ranked as the second highest school in OKC. Nichols Hills Elementary is first, then Gatewood Elem, then Sequoyah Elem.

I thought Wilson Elem. was the highest ranked and followed by Cleveland Elem. ??

[bandnerd]

Probably depends on what year you're looking at.

[okclee]

I have always heard that Wilson Elem was the top rated Elem in Okc. I have tried to find out more info on Okc public schools but haven't had much luck. The Okc website doesn't give much info and neither do other websites.

If anyone knows of a good non-biased site that gives honest opinions and rankings of Okc public elem schools , please let me know.

[teacher girl]

wilson is top!! I would say that cleveland should be up there as well!! I have a huge lists of "nots"

[okclee]

Originally Posted by teacher girl

wilson is top!! I would say that cleveland should be up there as well!! I have a huge lists of "nots"

Could you share your opinion of the Elem that are on top and the Elem that are "nots"??

I will be moving into one of the uptown areas and I need Elem school info.

The schools that are possiblities : Cleveland, Wilson, Gatewood, Edgemere, there maybe others that I am not aware of as of yet.

Thanks.

[Karried]

GreatSchools.net

[teacher girl]

in that area, based on just hearsay through the teacher grapevine and my personal experiences with personnel there are

wilson, sequayah, linwood and cleveland I would put my child in without thinking twice (actually my son is in one of those)........sequyah is a ESY school (extended school year) so if that works for you, GREAT?) linwood and cleveland are A+ schools and I LOVE the philosophy behind those schools!!

cleveland and wilson are "specialty" schools. cleveland is arts and science and wilson is arts integration. at wilson, starting in prek, the children get rotations of visual art, drama, music and................the last one is slipping out of my brain). wilson has an extra 30 minutes tacked on to it a day.

don't care at ALL for putnam heights (interviewed there and it is a STRICT STRICT reading first school) what is reading first? well, thanks for asking. reading first is a literacy based program, starting in kindergarten, where children are forced to sit and do stict phonemic awareness or phonics for a 90 minute block. MEANING, they can't integrate writing, science, math or anything during that time. SURE, 5,6 and 7 year olds can handle that!! NO WAY I passed on that job. it is a "specialty" school as well (I think it's mass comm. or something) but i got a bad vibe there

the principal at monroe is new, so maybe that's a good thing, it is a great expecatatiosns school (great expectations is founded on the basis that every child is capable of learning through modeling "expectations' that are taught in the classroom, manners, ect......I like it)

that's all I feel confident speaking about. hope this helps!! you know, there are some OKC schools where you can transfer your child into even if you aren't within the boundries.........just something to think about

hope this helps!

[buck]

I would be weary of Dove, I heard some conflicting stuff about that place. I do know it is run by a group of Turkish people. I also heard their teachers are paid less so there a lot of turnover. Bandnerd, I'm curious to ask how does the pay at your school compare to OKCPS or other districts? Is it more, about the same or less? Just a general answer is fine and also how are the benefits?

[Midtowner]

What's wrong with Turks?

[buck]

Nothing's wrong with Turks, I'm sure some kids thrive in that environment and some kids don't. I am not quite sure how it will translate to elementary school though.

[bandnerd]

buck: We are paid on the minimum oklahoma salary range. We get our step raises just like anyone else, but there really aren't any frills. We have the same insurance options as any other teacher in the state, and have extra insurance available to us through American Fidelity. Some of us (quite a few, actually) get a small stipend for extra duty, like coaching or sponsoring groups. So, it's pretty much just like any other school in OKC.

It truly is a job that you must love, because you definitely don't make much. That said, most of us do just fine on what we make. A little more would be nice, but the school just doesn't have that to offer.

[buck]

Thanks for your reply bandnerd, and for the job you do as a teacher. That's good you get paid the minumum at least, I've heard the teachers at Dove get paid less than that and also heard rumors that the Turkish teachers get paid more than the American teachers. It's also good your coaches and sponsors get paid stipends, at Dove I heard it's strictly volunteer witn no stipends for coaches or club sponsors. So your basketball team shold beat theirs! lol
One other question: What's the difference between Harding Charter and Harding Fine Arts? I've heard good things about both, but also heard they are seperate but under the same roof. Since you work there I know you could explain the difference of if there is any difference.

[bandnerd]

HFAA and HCP are two separate schools forced to live under the same roof by OKCPS. The way I understand it, when the building became free, HFAA said they wanted it. But HCP was able to move in earlier, and they were allowed. After two years, HFAA was ready to move in. And so the fun began.

HCP is a college-preparatory school based on the premise that ALL students can excel in an Advanced Placement curriculum. We accept students from all over the metro area, even reaching as far as Guthrie. Many of our kids come from Belle Isle Enterprise MS or Independence Charter MS. We have a full fine and performing arts curriculum (I run the instrumental music program) along with a full sports program. We even offer archery and now track. Our API has been consistently high, and has placed us as one of the top schools in OKC, if not the state.

HFAA is an arts-integrated school, one of the first A+ high schools, which means that they are supposed to integrate the arts into every classroom. I cannot speak any more for their curriculum. They are a charter, like us, so there is no audition policy to be accepted, unlike Classen SAS, which is a magnet, and requires the students to be tested and audition for entry. Other than that, they aren't my deal, so I don't know what goes on.

Do not ask me why we don't collaborate or join fine arts programs--if you think about that real hard, and some people don't, it would put someone out of a job, and would, in a way, negate the whole reason for having an arts school in the first place!

Now, as for the stipends--it wasn't always that way. I sponsor yearbook and newspaper, and run the band and orchestra, and this was my first year to receive the stipend. It was the first year that became available. I cannot speak for Dove; I have never heard of the practices that you have mentioned here. However, we do beat their bball team on regular basis. We had the top rebounder in 4A this year Along with some other top positions, but I can't remember them exactly and I wouldn't want to misquote those stats.

Basically, if you go to HCP, you will see a very diverse population (socioeconomic status, culture, race, and religion) getting along very well under one roof, all working toward the same goal of going to college with at least a few hours of college credit out of the way. Our kids participate in musicals, concerts, talent shows, rowing, bball, track, archery, volleyball, chess club, STUCO, Girls and Boys State, State music competitions, Close-UP, softball, baseball, photography, painting, yearbook, newspaper, bible study group, astronomy club, all kinds of AP courses, cross country, charity fundraising, a variety of phys ed classes including a bootcamp-style class, and even more. Our kids received $750,000 in scholarships last year, and our valedictorian went to Clemson with an entire year's worth of college credit. Our faculty comes from all over, with a lot of experience, but our principal is not above giving a dumb kid like me a chance to spread her wings when no one else would.

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Hope that answers a little bit. It's early and I tend to ramble at this hour!

[buck]

Thanks for your explanation I really appreciate it. It does seem a little strange that two totally different schools operate under one roof. I would say kids that want to take AP and get into a good college would go to your school, and kids that are interested in going to an art or music school might be interested in the other. I'm from Colorado orginally and up there they have several charter schools, some good and some not so good. Dove advertises good API scores but I'm not sure if I'm sold on their model of doing things. It does intrigue me why Turkish people are interested in running schools, there are a whole bunch of Turkish run schools in Texas and Arkansas, and I also heard of one in Buffalo, New York. I have nothing aginst Turkish people and I'm sure some are very good teachers, but you don't see people from other countries as interested in running schools in the U.S. Well anyway, thanks for your reply and I enjoy reading your posts.

[bandnerd]

Um, well, our school is run by a bunch of Catholics and Lebanese...I think...I never really asked their political, religious, or cultural affiliation or country of origin. I don't really see why it matters all that much. They write my checks, and they don't bounce.

I would say that, however, if a kid wanted to study music or art, they could do that just fine at my school. We want them to have a rounded education, socratic method style. And that includes the arts. They are required by our curriculum to take at least a year and a half of performing or fine arts; it's their decision to stay with it or not. They are also required to take that much phys ed and health, but they aren't all going to become doctors or coaches.

Just food for thought.

[Patrick]

Too bad private schools aren't under the same testing as public schools. I wonder how their API scores would compare.